what insulin does

by leoebfolsom

For anyone who’s wondered. I usually explain it without inaccuracy but also without a totally clear understanding. One of my goals is to wrap my mind around the details of this stuff. I’d like to know what goes on inside of me. Wouldn’t you? (I mean, wouldn’t you like to know what goes on inside of you.) (I guess maybe you wouldn’t.)

Insulin, which is made in the pancreas, plays a key role in regulating the body’s fat and carbohydrate metabolism. When we eat, our digestion breaks down the carbohydrates in our food into the simple sugar glucose, which is absorbed into the blood stream. Too much glucose in the blood is toxic, so one of insulin’s roles is to stimulate transfer of glucose into our cells, thereby removing excess glucose from the blood. Specifically, insulin is required to move glucose into liver, muscle and fat cells. It also blocks the process of burning fat for energy.

Source: “Circadian clock linked to obesity, diabetes and heart attacks”